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Sudrian Ferries
Sudrian Ferries is an operator of passenger and vehicle ferries between the Island of Sodor and several ports in the United Kingdom, as well as Misty Island and the Isle of Man. Overview * Type: Private * Industry: Transport * Predecessor: North Western Railway steamers. * Founded: 1974 * Headquarters: Tidmouth, Island of Sodor * Area served: Sodor, Misty Island, Isle of Man, England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Wales * Number of locations: Belfast Harbour, Northern Ireland, Tidmouth, Sodor, Dublin Port, Ireland, Kirk Ronan, Sodor, Heysham, England, Birkenhead, England, Holyhead, Wales, Misty Island, Fleetwood, England, Norramby, Sodor, Arlesburgh, Sodor & Ramsey, Isle of Man * Owner: North Western Railway, (1974-2000), Isle of Sodor Government (2000-present) History The history of Sudrian Ferries dates back to 1865, when one of the predecessors of the North Western Railway, the Sodor and Mainland Railway planned on starting a daily steamer service from the port of Dublin in Ireland to Kirk Ronan on Sodor but the project failed. After the Sodor and Mainland declared bankruptcy and was amalgamated with the other Sudrian railways in 1914, the harbour became part of the North Western Railway. The railway resurrected the S&M's plans to operate daily steamer services from the port to Dublin in 1920, though after the 1925 agreement with the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), these only operated on Tuesdays and Fridays as a local service. Steamers were finally gone on the service by the end of 1973. In 1974, a new company named Sudrian Ferries began running a car ferry on the service, which became daily, though the NWR were still running a car ferry from Vicarstown to Barrow-in-Furness until the Jubilee Bridge was opened in 1977, and the steamers were finally gone. Since then, Sudrian Ferries began expanding their network with new services from Fleetwood to Norramby, Liverpool to Brendam, Belfast to Tidmouth, Arlesburgh to Ramsey Brendam to Misty Island and Heysham to Brendam. Although the routes were new ones operated by Sudrian Ferries, the Ramsey service was originally a service by Isle of Man Steam Packet Company steamers, which also operated a service to Douglas until 1935. In 2002, the old terminal in Liverpool was closed and services started sailing to the new Twelve Quays ferry terminal at Birkenhead, on the other side of the River Mersey. In 2015, a new pilot route from Holyhead to Brendam started and became a permanent fixture in 2016. It was so successful that a full service began running in 2016. Fleet history The first car ferry built for Sudrian Ferries was the MV Hawin Ooyre, in 1974. She was originally built for the Dublin to Kirk Ronan service, which she ran for 29 years until 2003, when she was replaced by the new ship, MV Hawin Croka. MV Hawin Ooyre then moved to the Birkenhead to Brendam service that same year, where she remained for 17 years until early 2020, when she was replaced by the new ship, MV Sudrian Pride. She is currently laid up at Liverpool, waiting to be sold to another ferry company. Another ship, MV Hackenbeck was also built in 1974, for the Fleetwood to Norramby crossing, before moving to the Brendam to Misty Island crossing in 2000. A sister ship, MV Corloey was built in 1976 for the Arlesburgh to Ramsey crossing, though increasing vehicle traffic that year meant that another ship was required, so, the MV Chibbyr Ulf, for the was built, and entered service in 1977. She was the first ship in the Sudrian Ferries fleet that did not have Hawin in her name. She has remained there ever since, though during the winter months, she relieves the Hawin Doorey on the Fleetwood to Norramby service whilst the MV Corloey relieves MV Chibbyr Ulf in the winter. The MV Corloey is also a spare vessel during the summer months. A new route from Heysham to Brendam was launched and a new ship named MV Hawin Ab was built for the route in 1985. Another new route from Belfast to Tidmouth was launched in 1993 and another new ship named MV Cas-ny-Hawin was built. She ran this service for 20 years when she was replaced by a new ship, MV Hawin Russagh, in 2015. MV Cas-ny-Hawin then trialed a pilot service from Brendam to Holyhead, which was successful, and began in 2016. In 2000, at the start of the new millennium, another new ship, MV Hawin Doorey was built to replace MV Hackenbeck on the Fleetwood to Norramby service, whilst MV Hackenbeck moved to the Brendam to Misty Island service. In 2016, it was announced that Sudrian Ferries had an order for a new ferry that was to be constructed for the Birkenhead to Brendam route. The ship was to be the first powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), which would be more environmentally friendly than diesel powered ships. The ship's steel was cut in 2017. In 2018, it was announced that the ship was to be named Sudrian Pride. She was launched in November 2019, and entered service in mid January 2020. She replaced the older MV Hawin Ooyre. MV Hawin Ooyre retired from Sudrian Ferries and is currently for sale for another ferry company abroad. Another LNG powered ship, a sister ship was ordered in 2017 for the Heysham - Brendam route. The first steel was cut in 2018, and is expected to be launched in late 2020 and enter service in 2021 and will replace MV Hawin Ab. Routes Sudrian Ferries run services between: * Brendam - Misty Island * Birkenhead - Brendam * Heysham - Brendam * Holyhead - Brendam * Fleetwood - Norramby * Dublin - Kirk Ronan * Belfast - Tidmouth * Arlesburgh - Ramsey Fleet Sudrian Ferries own and operate nine vessels. Current fleet * MV Hackenbeck = Built: 1974 = Route: Brendam - Misty Island * MV Corloey = Built: 1976 = Route: Arlesburgh - Ramsey (winter), spare vessel (summer) * MV Chibbyr Ulf = Built: 1976 = Route: Arlesburgh - Ramsey (summer) - Fleetwood - Norramby (winter) * MV Hawin Ab = Built: 1985 = Route: Heysham - Brendam * MV Cas-ny-Hawin = Built: 1993 = Route: Holyhead - Brendam * MV Hawin Doorey = Built: 2000 = Route: Fleetwood - Norramby (summer) - Dublin - Kirk Ronan (winter) * MV Hawin Croka = Built: 2003 = Route: Dublin - Kirk Ronan * MV Hawin Russagh = Built: 2014 = Route: Belfast - Tidmouth * MV Sudrian Pride = Built: 2019 = Route: Birkenhead - Brendam The largest vessel in the fleet at 117 metres (387 ft) is MV Hawin Russagh. The most recent vessel in the fleet is MV Sudrian Pride, launched in 2019. The two smallest vessels at 22 metres (73 ft) are MV Hackenbeck and MV Corloey. MV Hackenbeck is the oldest vessel in the fleet. She was built in 1974, which was when the company was founded. MV Cas-ny-Hawin also has the largest capacity in the fleet. Sudrian Ferries have also been adapting to the demands of the 21st century, which ships including MV Hawin Doorey, MV Hawin Croka, MV Hawin Russagh and MV Sudrian Pride. Former fleet * MV Hawin Ooyre = Built: 1974 = Route: Birkenhead - Brendam (summer) - spare/relief vessel (winter) Future fleet A sister ship for Sudrian Pride was ordered in 2017 for the Heysham - Brendam route. The first steel was cut in 2018, and will launch in late 2020 and enter service in early 2021.